


astronomy in reverse (it was me who was discovered)

by lookoutlovers



Series: winter prompts [3]
Category: SKAM (France)
Genre: First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, More snow, POV Alternating, Prompt Fill, Strangers to Lovers, and some very dramatic love at first sight shenanigans, of course, these two just never stop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:55:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21864835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookoutlovers/pseuds/lookoutlovers
Summary: for the prompts:my parents are ditching me for the holidays so i’m stuck hanging around campus but then i see you reading in the library.i'm sitting in the window seat of a library/bookstore reading when you throw a snowball at the window.and,we don’t know each other that well but i found out that you’ve never been sledding and feel like it’s my personal mission to change that.
Relationships: Eliott Demaury/Lucas Lallemant
Series: winter prompts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1553281
Comments: 16
Kudos: 192





	astronomy in reverse (it was me who was discovered)

**Author's Note:**

> for tess, who is always so lovely!!! who i would die for!!! 💛 
> 
> prompts are from this [winter writing prompts list.](https://lumierelovers.tumblr.com/post/189251006867/veronicabunchwrites-100-wintery-prompts-for-all)
> 
> also posted on my [tumblr](https://lumierelovers.tumblr.com/post/189766810217/41-98-33)
> 
> title - venus by sleeping at last

The winter sun setting corresponds a little with the way Lucas feels right now—restless, warmth slipping into the darkness until the air is left to freeze like lace on his skin, delicate and cold.

It’s pretty out, at least, Lucas thinks as he wanders around campus aimlessly. With layers of snow carpeting the ground, every building and tree in a way that is comforting, especially with how the golden hue of streetlamps illuminate the soft white into a warmer yellow.

The thing is, Lucas wouldn’t usually hang around campus so close to Christmas, but his parents had booked a last-minute holiday to Italy for the week. And the thought of spending the week alone in his parent’s house sounds like a nightmare, to Lucas.

So. Here Lucas is, nine days before Christmas, and probably the only person still on campus.

Or, so he had thought.

He had decided to go for a walk, because he was beginning to feel restive in the confinement of his tiny dorm room. And it helps, slightly—how the evening breeze cools his tired skin and the lights of the city in the distance twinkle against the darkness of the winter sky.

It’s when Lucas is passing the campus library that he sees a boy sitting just at the window, right at the ledge. He’s reading, Lucas isn’t close enough to see what, but he sees the intrigue in the boy’s eyes—how he seems to be in his own little world, completely immersed in the story as he carefully flicks through each page.

Lucas doesn’t know why he does it—partially because he’s bored, mostly because the boy is maybe one of the prettiest boys Lucas has ever seen. And, you see, Lucas cannot flirt to save his own life (he split an entire bottle of beer over Jérémie Labelle at a party in high school last year while trying to get his number, for god sake) so it isn’t really that much of a surprise, in the end.

He bends down, hands forming into a sphere as he gathers as much snow as he can. It’s cold, he regrets not wearing gloves. Taking the snowball in his hands, Lucas smooths it over, ensuring it’s satisfactory enough, before taking a small step forwards and flinging it towards the window.

***

_Never are voices so beautiful as on a winter's evening,_ Eliott reads, _when dusk almost hides the body, and they seem to issue from nothingness with a note of intimacy seldom heard by day,_ thinks, that’s quite true, quite beautiful, too.

Eliott has always loved how things seem to transform in the night-time, how things still, the hustle and bustle of the day subduing until placidity takes control.

It’s peaceful, steals his mind away from its constant tumult and overthinking. And, also, the main reason Eliott had decided to stay around campus for a few extra days after everyone else had gone home for the holidays. He likes the serenity of the empty campus, especially in the evening, or, better yet, during snowfall.

He’s sat by the window in the library, he thinks he’s maybe the only one here, save for the lady at the desk who seems to drift in and out of slumber every so often, her soft snores echoing around the room. Eliott doesn’t really mind, he’s too engrossed in his book to take much notice of the sound, anyway.

And he’s just flicking to the next page, thumb swiping against the crisp pages with care as to not disturb the already worn spine of his book, when, _thump_.

The sudden sound reverberates throughout the silence of the library, causing Eliott’s head to snap up from his book, heart thudding high in his chest. He looks up to see snow splattered against the window he’s sitting by. But it isn’t there due to the downfall—it’s the obvious sign of disturbance. Someone has deliberately meddled with the snow and with Eliott’s peace.

He huffs out an agitated sigh, watching as the snow slowly melts against the window and slides down the pane. His initial thought had been correct, as, when the snow finally gives way enough for Eliott too see out into the campus grounds once again, it’s to find a boy standing there, alone, wiping his hands against his coat, evidence soaking into the wool of his scarf.

And that—well, that so isn’t on.

Eliott grabs his backpack from the floor in a haste, shoving his book inside and storming out of the library.

 _Who does this guy think he is, anyway?_ Eliott scoffs to himself as he strides down the pathway that leads from the library onto the sidewalk, _showing up out of nowhere and disrupting Eliott’s reading time?_ It’s rude, it’s annoying, it’s, it’s—

_He’s beautiful._

Eliott stops dead in his tracks just a few feet away from the boy, who looks up at Eliott a little guiltily. His eyes are wide, and _blue_ , so distinctly blue. A deep ocean blue, blue like the midwinter sky just after the sun sets, an electric, vibrant blue. Even with the lighting as sparse as it is around them, his eyes seem to create their own little torch of luminescence. And all Eliott can think is, _pretty_ , and then, _blue, blue, blue._

“Hi,” the boy pants out.

Eliott blinks away from his eyes, flits his gaze down to track the slight movement of his lips, which are bitten red with the cold. Although, they still manage to look as soft as the early morning clouds that float by the sun.

And, he was so mad just a few seconds ago. Had been fully prepared to storm straight up and give this boy a piece of his mind. So why is it now—now that he’s standing right here in front of the boy who has disturbed his evening that he can’t compel his words to take flight, can’t speak, can’t move?

Can’t do anything but stare dumbfoundedly at the way the boy giggles nervously at Eliott’s lack of response, how his hair sticks up in one too many directions yet still somehow looks like it would flow through his fingers as easy as water.

“Sorry about that, by the way,” the boy speaks again, pulling Eliott out of his trance. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“It’s okay,” Eliott mumbles. _What are you saying?_ his head screams, _you were ready for murder just seconds ago._ He blinks the thoughts away. “What are you doing still on campus, anyway? Everyone else has gone home for Christmas.”

The boy shrugs, “I could ask you the same.”

Eliott frowns, feels a little bad, like maybe he’s crossed a line—maybe there’s a reason this boy can’t go home for Christmas.

But he chuckles before Eliott has the chance to backtrack on his question. “My parents went on holiday. Won’t get back until the day before Christmas eve, so I decided to just hang around here for a bit until then,” he explains, then, “I’m Lucas, by the way.”

He extends an arm, Eliott thinks that’s a bit formal, for the setting they’re in, but he accepts Lucas’ handshake anyway. His hand is cold against Eliott’s, but his skin is soft, small enclosed around Eliott’s own.

“I’m Eliott,” Eliott responds, letting their hands separate, reluctantly.

Lucas grins. Eliott thinks it’s probably the prettiest smile he has ever seen. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Eliott,” he says.

Eliott nods. There’s a silence, then, he doesn’t really know what to say, or—what is appropriate to say. He sort of wants to ask Lucas what his star sign is, if he has any siblings, what his favourite colour is (if it’s blue like Eliott’s is), what his thoughts on love at first sight are.

Lucas takes a few steps back, as though he’s planning on leaving. And he turns, slowly, looking away from Eliott and down as he does, and he’s taking another few steps, and—

“Wait!” Eliott clamours urgently.

Lucas turns back around, smile expectant like he’s waiting for Eliott to say something and Eliott hadn’t thought that far in advance, to be honest. Just the thought of letting Lucas walk away and the fact that he might never see him again had seemed like the worst thing in the world. He thinks the way Lucas looks a little bit relieved that Eliott had stopped him from leaving is every bit worth the potential embarrassment.

“What have you been up to, then? Apart from throwing snowballs at windows?” Eliott asks, smirking when Lucas looks to his feet and scuffs his trainers into the snow abashedly.

“I said I was sorry. For that,” Lucas mutters.

Eliott raises his eyebrows incredulously, but it’s teasing. “Hmm,” he hums, “Your apology is pending.”

Lucas gasps, “Pending? Are you serious?”

Laughing, Eliott says, “Yes, pending. I was in the middle of a really good book, you know.”

“Oh, you were?” Lucas narrows his eyes, trace of a smirk ghosting his lips. “What can I do, then? To speed up the process?”

Eliott purses his lips as if in thought. Secretly, he had already forgiven Lucas the second he laid eyes on him, he thinks Lucas maybe knows that, too. It’s quite obvious, actually, the way Eliott can’t keep his eyes off him.

Neither of them mention it.

“Well,” Eliott looks at the snow falling softly around them, “It is a little cold. Maybe you could buy me a hot drink?”

Lucas smiles, “A hot drink,” he repeats, nodding. “Okay, yeah. I can do that.”

And off they go.

***

Lucas takes Eliott to a coffee shop just off campus.

And the entire walk there, all Lucas can think is how gorgeous Eliott looks under the warm gold tint of the streetlights, how the white of snow reflects off his pale complexion, both to give the illusion of a sun-kissed glow.

Lucas thinks he would look beautiful either way though, in winter or in summer.

He orders them both a hot chocolate each, and makes sure the girl behind the counter doesn’t forget the cream or marshmallows—the best parts, in Lucas’ opinion.

“So,” Lucas says once they are both seated in the far corner of the coffee shop despite the fact that they’re the only ones here. “Why are you still on campus, then? Your family fuck off to Italy for the week, too?”

Eliott laughs. It makes Lucas feel a little breathless, how he throws his head back, his eyes crinkling at the edges softly, adorably.

“No,” he shakes his head, laughter tapering into quieter giggles, “I just quite like how peaceful it is around this time of year. It’s a bit strange, I know. But I also had an art project to finish up before I went home. So, there was that, too.”

Lucas thinks the smudges of what appear to be charcoal smeared onto Eliott’s jacket make a lot more sense, now.

“Art, huh?” Lucas smirks, “So you’re a bit of, what they call, an art hoe, then.”

Eliott chuckles again, eyes falling to his mug of hot chocolate that rests on the table, it’s a little shy, the way he does it. “I guess, yeah.”

”And it isn’t strange, by the way,” Lucas assures. “I get it.”

He does, get it. 

Eliott takes another sip of his hot chocolate, and, when he places his mug back to the table, Lucas sees how he has managed to get a little whipped cream onto his top lip in the process.

Lucas wants to reach over and wipe it off, with his lips, preferably.

“You have some, um,” he says, instead, gesturing vaguely with his own hand.

“Oh,” Eliott blushes, it’s incredibly charming. Lucas feels his stomach do a million tiny little backflips. Eliott wipes the cream away, all of it in the first go, unfortunately for Lucas.

They talk a bit more. Lucas learns that Eliott is in his second year, studying art. He’s an only child, just like Lucas, and enjoys listening to dubstep (which Lucas only teases him marginally for). Lucas tells him about his marine biology course, and Eliott calls him a smart ass (but it’s with fondness, and he follows it up with a warm smile. Lucas melts with it).

The conversation seems to flow with great ease, which is strange, given they met just a little over an hour ago.

Lucas isn’t complaining.

It’s stretching onto the two-hour mark when the girl working behind the counter informs them that it’s almost closing time, and so they venture back out into the cold of the evening.

“This snow is insane,” Eliott says, feet kicking at a small pile on the side of the pavement. “It’s like, the perfect thickness for sledding, don’t you think?”

Lucas shrugs, “I don’t know. Never done it.”

Eliott stops walking next to him, Lucas doesn’t entirely notice until he’s already a few steps ahead. He swivels around to see Eliott gaping at him with an offended expression.

“What?” Lucas asks dumbly.

Eliott scoffs, “You’ve never been sledding?”

Lucas frowns, “No. Is that such a big deal?”

“A big deal,” Eliott mocks, “That’s a _crime_ , Lucas,” he insists.

Then, with one more pointed look, he’s grabbing Lucas by the hand and tugging him further into the night.

***

Eliott hadn’t meant for it to become a _thing_ —holding Lucas’ hand, that is. It was only supposed to be for a little while, to highlight his point, to stress that they _needed_ to go sledding, like, immediately.

But now, twenty minutes later, after stopping into Eliott’s dorm briefly to fetch his sledge, Lucas’ hand is still firmly clasped in Eliott’s own.

And it’s nice. Really nice, in fact—the contrast between how cold Lucas’ hand had been, earlier, to now, how it warms against Eliott’s, how it burns, almost. Like how the heat of a campfire radiates onto your skin late into a chilly night.

He guides Lucas up to one of the hilled embankments near the dorm buildings, one he had discovered with Idriss just last year. He remembers it being particularly good for sledding.

“I’m not so sure about this, Eliott,” Lucas peers over the edge of the hill nervously.

They aren’t holding hands anymore, which is disappointing, but probably for the best. Eliott had been about three seconds away from securing them together with handcuffs and throwing away the key so he never has to go another day without hearing Lucas’ gorgeous laugh, or the way his skin feels against Eliott’s.

“You’ll be fine,” Eliott assures him, “It isn’t even that steep, the snow at the end will catch you.”

Lucas doesn’t look convinced in the slightest.

”Eliott,” he whines, “What if I _die_?”

He looks terrified, Eliott can’t help but laugh.

“You’re just being dramatic, come on. It’ll be over before you know it, and then you’ll see how fun it is.”

Cautiously, Lucas peers back over the edge from where he’s been sitting on the sledge. He then glances up towards Eliott, biting his bottom lip in a way that makes Eliott’s heart rate increase, and he asks, “Will you do it with me?”

And who would Eliott be if he refused such an offer?

He rolls his eyes, teasingly, and slips onto the board behind Lucas, then wraps his arms around Lucas’ middle.

Lucas hums happily, “Okay, I think I’m ready now.”

Eliott huffs out a laugh. Thinks this definitely what Lucas had wanted all along—not that Eliott is complaining.

He has to shuffle a little awkwardly in order to tip them over the edge, but once he gets the right angle (with no thanks to Lucas, who just sits there, back melted into Eliott’s chest, quite adorably, actually) he finally manages to set the sledge off.

They glide down the hill, their screams spilling into the night, laughter echoing in the stillness that surrounds them. At the bottom of the hill they fumble into a pile of tangled limbs, Eliott can’t tell where his body ends and Lucas’ begins.

“Fuck,” Lucas gasps, his laughter bright like a pretty melody. “You said the snow would catch us!”

Eliott’s laughter bounces right off of Lucas’—both of their giggles meshing together complete opposite of that of a staccato, but instead one of a harmony so fluent it makes Eliott feel warm all over, even with the dampness that soaks through his clothes where they lay in the snow.

”I got you,” Eliott manages to untangle himself from Lucas and pull him upright into a sitting position. “I got you,” he mumbles again. 

Lucas smiles shyly. “So. Am I forgiven, then?”

It brings Eliott back to earlier, to a moment that seems so far removed now that they’re here, covered in snow as they gaze at each other like something out of a badly scripted romantic comedy.

Eliott hums, “I don’t know,” he purses his lips, then, with a hint of a smirk, “Maybe.”

Lucas’ fingers begin to toy with the zipper of Eliott’s jacket, eyes downcast at the movement timidly. “Is there anything else I can do?” he whispers, “I really kind of want you to forgive me.”

”Maybe,” Eliott breathes.

He isn’t sure who leans in first, both of them, most likely. But all Eliott knows is that Lucas’ breath is warm as his lips ghost over Eliott’s—not quite touching, but testing, just. 

It’s Eliott, actually, in the end, who takes the final leap, sliding his hands up Lucas’ neck to cup his cheeks, and then crashing their lips together.

It’s hot—passionate. The way Lucas sighs into Eliott’s mouth, how his hands grip onto Eliott’s waist tighter when Eliott begins to chase his tongue. How, when they part for breath only to fall back into each other again immediately, he presses himself even closer and angles his face in a way that makes Eliott feel dizzy and weak at the knees despite the fact he’s sitting down. 

And it should be strange, kissing someone you met only a few hours ago, like this—like they’re your entire world and maybe more.

But Eliott kind of thinks it feels like it makes more sense than anything in his life has ever made before.

It just feels so _right_.

Lucas moans softly, between kisses. It’s pretty, the sound. And his lips are soft like Eliott had imagined them to be, only softer, probably.

Eliott closes his eyes and all he sees is blue. 

When they eventually pull apart, rather reluctantly, Eliott does so with a gentle bite of Lucas’ bottom lip. A slight pressure that has Lucas humming blissfully into the winter night.

”Wow,” Eliott pants, thinks it’s the best kiss he has ever had in his entire life.

”Yeah,” Lucas says, or more like breathes. And then, smirking, eyes hooded and still blue like the inside of Eliott’s heart, now. “Apology accepted?”

Eliott chuckles, soothing a hand through Lucas’ hair—it’s soft, too, like velvet through his fingers.

“Always was.”

Lucas laughs breathily. It makes for a pretty picture—with the snow that falls delicately, how it surrounds him, the silver light of the moon that dusts over his skin. It’s really very beautiful.

Eliott will paint it, one day.

**Author's Note:**

> eliott had been reading _night and day_ by virginia woolf, of course, because what else.
> 
> thank u for reading! let me know what u think ✨
> 
> my tumblr is [@lumierelovers](https://lumierelovers.tumblr.com/)


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